Track-wrench.



J. M. BAXTER '& T. H; SIKES.

TRACK WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. I915.

Patnted May 30 WITNESSES.-

'n-n: COLUMBIA PMNOURAPH co. WASHINGTON, D. c.

barren sra'rns Uf f lW.

JAMES M. BAXTEIR. AND THOMAS H. STKES, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

TRACK-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3Q, 1916..

Application filed September 7, 1915. Serial N 0. 49,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES M. BAXTER and THOMAS H. SIKES, citizens of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and Stateof North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Track-Wrench of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in track wrenches, and more particularly to that class known as double-acting ratchet wrenches, wherein the ratchet pawl may be readily thrown into position to actuate the nut in either a right or a left hand direction, as desired.

One object of the present invention is to provide a wrench having a nut receiving socket sufficiently offset from the adjacent face of the operating handle to permit of its ready application to the nuts of rail joints or the like to allow of the unscrewing .of the nut, and at the same time the oscillatory movement of the wrench stock will not be interfered with by the adjacent side face of the head of the rail.

Another object is the provision of an inter-changeable rotary nut actuating head or hub which may be readily removed from the wrench and another applied to the de vice having a larger or a smaller nut socket as desired, by the simple manipulation of a set screw.

A further object is the provision of a dog or pawl which may be turned around to present newpoints or teeth to the ratchet wheel after one set has become worn, and will still be capable of either right or left hand actuation of the nut turning head or hub.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a careful consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification; it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modified, as long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts in each of the several figures :-Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved wrench; Fig. 2 is an enlarged face view of the active end thereof; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a face view of the rear side of the double acting pawl or dog.

The usual tapering handle or stock 1 is employed, which may be of a length sufficient to enable the operator to apply the active end of the wrench to a nut to be removed from a rail or the like, and still enable the operator to actuate the same while in a standing position. The larger end of the stock is transversely bored as at 2 to form a bearing for the rotating head or socket piece 2?), which 'is provided with a lateral proecting bearing portion 4% adapted to enter the bore 2 and to be retained therein by a detachable collar 5, made fast to the extremity of the extension 4: by a set screw 6, the said extension 4 being sufficiently long to pass through and beyond the rear face of the stock 1 and there to receive the collar 5.

On the face of the rotating head opposite to the extension 4 is provided a rectangular socket 7 which is adapted to receive the nut to be removed or applied. It will be seen that the head 3 may, by the removal of the detachable collar 5, be readily removed from the stock 1 and a similar head having a larger or a smaller rectangular socket 7, be substituted, thus adapting the device for use upon different sizes of nuts.

The length of the head from the adjacent face of the stock 1 to that face thereof having the socket 7 therein is suflicient to space the actuating stock 1, sufficiently from the ball of a rail to prevent any interference thereby in the oscillatory movement of the said stock. The outer surface of the head 3 is preferably tapered and is provided at its largest diameter with a series of double faced ratchet teeth 8 which are adapted to be engaged by a pawl, to be hereinafter described, and to be rotated in either a right or a left hand direction to apply a nut to a bolt or remove the same therefrom. The head 3 is further provided with a central longitudinal bore 9 extending from the rectangular socket 7 to the rear face of the ex tension 4; and is adapted to receive the extended ends of bolts where they may be found projecting some distance beyond the face of the nut.

Located upon the stock 1 on the same side with the ratchet teeth 8 and adjacent thereto, is a four pointed double acting reversible pawl 10 mounted for swinging movement'upon a. bolt 11 or other pivoting means, which is retained in position by a nut 12 or otherwise. The pawl is centrally bored as at 13 to receive the bolt 11, and has its four points 14 equally spaced therefrom, the space between the opposite pairs of v points'being cut away'in a'eircular form to permit of one or the other of a pair of points to be applied to the ratchet teeth 8 to actuate the same in a right or left hand direction. The rear face of the pawl 10 is Vprovided'with a pair of seats arranged in a line with the central bore 13, and consists .of sockets 15 bored to within a short distance of the opposite face of the pawl in I orderto form a bottom wall to the said sockets.

The adjacent face of the stock 1 is also provided with a pair of depressions 16 arranged in alinement with and at a distance from the axis of the pivotal bolt '11, equal to the distance of the sockets 15 therefrom. A spring pressed pin17,'formed of non-wearing material, such as hard steel, is introduced into that one of the sockets 15 which is in alinement with the depressions 16, and has a spring 18, preferably of brass,.located between the inner wall of the socket and the inner end of the pin 17 in order to normally exert a pressure upon the pin toward the adjacent face of the stock land to hol d the outer end'of the said pin,

- which is preferably rounded, into engagement withone or the other of the depressions 16'to maintain the one or the other of that pair of points 14 adjacent the rotating head 3. The'other pair of points-14 may be" utilized as thumb pieces to manipulate the pawl and throw either the upper or lower point of the opposite pair into engagement with "the ratchet teeth S,-in order to secu'rea right or left hand movement of the rotating head 3 in applying or removing nuts. 7 H V It will be seen that when the pawl is ar- 1 ranged for one direction of movement, the pin 17 will have its seat in one of the depressions 16 and in the passage of the teeth 8: pastthat'point in active position, in the retrograde movement of the stock 1, the pin 17 will ride: slightly up the .inclined wall of the depression 16 until the tooth has 7 jpassedthe active point of the pawl and under the influence of'the spring 18 will have a tendency to ride'down again until'seated in the deepest part'of 'the depression 16,

- thus returning theactive point into engagel 'tlopies of thiapate'nt may be obtained for ment with the teeth 8. Upon the reversal of the pawl by avmanipulation of the operator, to bring the other point of that pair into use for the opposite rotation of the head 3,.the pin 17 will then find its seat in the other. depression 16 (as indicated in Fig. 2) when thepawl may be maintained not properly reach the teeth of the rotating head.

It will be seen that a wrench of extreme simplicity has been provided, consisting of few parts, and one that may not become readily deranged or broken, and furthermore that is readily applicable to nuts of different sizes without the necessity of tedious adjustment of parts.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a handle, and a head rotatably mounted on the handle and having peripheral double teeth, of a pawl pivotally and rotatably mounted on the handle and'having two pairs of points, an inwardly extending pair and an outwardly extending pair, and spring means for yieldingly holding the pawl in position to engage one ofthe inwardly extending pair of points with the teeth of said head, the outer pair of points being adapted for alternate enga ement with the fingers to rock the pawl head when the inner points are broken and worn.

2. The combination with a handle, and a wrench head rotatably mounted on the handle and having peripheral double ratchet teeth, of a pawl pivotally mounted on the handle and having oppositely extending pairs of spaced apart points, one pair extending inwardly toward the head for alternate engagement with said teeth to drive the head in opposite directions, and the other pair of points extending outwardly from the head for alternate engagement with the fingers torock the pawl and shift said first pair of points with respect to the head, the pawl being also mounted for rotation upon the handle whereby the pawl may be swung aroundto engage the outwardlyextending pair of points against the head and turn 1 the inwardly extending points outwardly for engagement with the fingers.

JAMES M. BAXTER. THOMAS H. SIKES.

Witnesses:

R. H. lVI-IARTQN, M. W. GANT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or Patenn,

Washington, D. G. 

